EXtend
by mugichoco
Summary: Left to their own devices when their master abandoned them for unknown reasons, a group of Project Diva Extend Rin modules have had to survive on their own without him. They've...mostly managed. Cover art by プラチナム ファンタジア (Platinum Fantasia) on Pixiv.
1. 0

＞ LOADING...

The screen lights up.

＞ Project Diva Extend. New game, or load existing data?

＞＞ Load NPJH50465MAIN00

＞ Welcome, Master. Play time 1464 hours. 84562356 DIVA Points. Rhythm game 100% clear. Modules 100% acquired.

＞＞ Character Module Data

＞＞ Rin Kagamine

The image of a girl appears, with short blonde hair and big blue eyes. She's got kind of a slight figure, almost child-like, but it's a sight you're much too familiar with already. She gives a great big smile, and you feel your heart melt a little. You almost feel sorry that you'll be saying goodbye.

＞ Select module ?

You page through. Black Star, Suou, Kagerou, Ami Mami, Asymmetry, Reactor, EoE Style, Cheerful Candy, Cute... Your eyes glance over them one by one, flooding with memories. You cleared this song with this one, spent hours in the Diva Room with that one. It's a bittersweet feeling, and a lump forms in your throat. Can you really do this?

You whisper a few things to the girls, knowing they can't hear you, but feeling as if you should all the same. Your voice is gentle and kind, and it wavers a bit, but you try your best not to cry. You really don't want to leave them.

"Kevin! It's time to go. I'm not waiting any longer."

Your mother's voice echoes in your ears, and you reluctantly save and turn the device off, tucking it in your sock drawer. It'd just be for a year...

"Coming, Mom!"


	2. 1

Ahh... She sunk into the sofa, feet propped up and a soft throw blanket draped over her. She pulled it up to her chin, which left her feet uncovered, but that was alright. She always wore socks to bed. It was soft and warm, nestled in like that, and she felt her eyes slowly fluttering shut. It was a relieving feeling, giving in to the sensation, and she slowly drifted off...

Click.

Her eyes drew open immediately. Still drunk with dreams, she hadn't the foggiest idea what the noise was, despite the fact that she was staring right at the front door. Her eyes almost slipped closed again when another click sounded, a shuffle-snap, and creak as the door was pushed open. Heartbeat accelerating, she started to sit up groggily, rubbing at her eyes. As they caught on the person that stumbled in then, they narrowed to horrified, understanding slits.

It was the middle of the night. And standing right there was Reactor, leaning on the doorway. She had a sleepy demeanor, face rather pinkened, and clothing curiously disheveled. Even from several feet away, she could almost smell the alcohol. Asymmetry wrinkled her nose.

"Do you know what time it is?" she started, tone firm and quite obviously upset. "This is _ridiculous_; you're not even old enough to drink, and the fact that you clearly can't control yourself just proves it. Give me that." And she snatched the bottle right out of the others hands.

Reactor just stared back blankly, as if she wasn't quite absorbing the words. Then her eyes narrowed, mouth curving into a pout. "Why've you always got to treat me like a kid, huh? You're not my mother; I don't have one. Stop being so bossy already. I'll do what I like and you can just shut up."

'Shut up'? She felt her temper rise instinctively, provoked by the rude words, but she managed to dampen the flames before they rose too high, clearing her throat. "You know that Master put me in charge, so–"

"So? Doesn't give you the right to be my mother. Leave me alone already. I know what I'm doing." She realized what was off, then. Reactor's hair was all undone and tangled. Had she and Kagerou been...?

"Of course you don't." A sigh. It wasn't any use arguing with her in this state; they'd never get anywhere. "Look, how about we just get you cleaned up and off to be–"

She didn't expect the others lips to hit hers. They were soft and sort of plump, and somewhat...sticky? Her first thought was, 'What a weird flavor.' Her second was, 'Wait, what?' Face heating up as the realization hit her, she moved to push back, but the other grabbed her hands. It was somehow...intoxicating. Her eyes fluttered shut, and she gave in. Reactor's tongue pushed through, demanding entrance, and she instinctively let out a little nasal sound, particularly as their legs slid against each other. Was this what they meant by drunks being impulsive?

The contact broke, and Reactor gave a sly grin, bottle in hand. "You're too easy." And then she fled upstairs, likely to her room, heels clacking on the tile floor.

Which left Asymmetry all alone, face beet-red and feeling ridiculous. Her features soon twisted up in frustration, eyes filling up with tears, and she hurried toward the stairs, going up halfway. "You're grounded!" she cried out, trembling and teeth drawing back in a snarl. Stupid Reactor, getting drunk and messing around and coming home so late and–

"Asymmetry! I'm hungry~." The sleepy whine floated down the hallway to her ears. Ah, damn, she'd woken up Cute, hadn't she?


	3. 2

Another typical evening. She rubbed at her eyes with an indifferent expression, gaze drifting outside her bedroom door. There was a lot of noise coming from the kitchen. Giggles and shouts and pots clanging... Her hand rose to her head as it began to ache from the sound of it all, and she quietly shut the door. All the noise grew muffled and indistinct then, and she could finally relax. The blonde stepped back over to her bed, sitting down on the sheets and strewn blankets, and lifted her guitar from where it was propped up on the floor.

Her fingers naturally slid over to the right spots. She began to play a song. It didn't really have a name or an intended meaning, and she didn't think she'd ever even intended to write it. It'd just kind of happened some time ago, and ever since, whenever she happened to feel the need, it would play itself. She'd hum along too, a little melody that looped in parts and always seemed to slip into her head when left idle.

It relaxed her. It soothed her head, made her feel less tense and stiff, and caused a slight smile to tug at her lips. Being alone like this, just doing what she loved most... It was what put her most at ease. It felt like her "place", right there.

Which is precisely why, as three excited raps sounded at the door, she was drawn out of the spell entirely.

The blonde frowned and stopped playing, looking somewhat irritated. The door opened just a crack. A head popped in, eyes big and purple-tinted and cheeks rosy with fluster, but a smile drawing on her lips all the same. This was...Suou, right? She had little opinion of the girl, but nothing negative. Still, being interrupted like this wasn't exactly endearing. "Yes?" she said, and the girl seemed to get even rosier.

"Ah, um, Kuro... I was wondering if I could maybe keep you company? It must be awfully lonely in here, away from everybody." Her voice was a bit softer than expected. Softer than her own, certainly. Keeping a cool atmosphere, she simply shrugged, and lifted her guitar back up. Suou took the hint. The door creaked open a bit more and she slipped through, closing it behind her. After a pause, she sat down on the bed, brushing her skirt out. She was certainly a unique module, with that hair of hers, tied up in a little ponytail on the side. Black Star didn't know what to make of her.

She hadn't really played for anyone before. Yes, she'd done PVs before and brought one of her guitars along, but that was different, and they usually replaced the audio with a pre-recorded version anyway. She'd never had someone sit down next to her and listen before, but nonetheless, it was not in her personality to become awkward or uncomfortable in such a scenario. She simply played as usual, as if there were no one there at all.

Except when Suou began to sing.

She'd been humming the song for a while at that point, so it was understandable how she'd pick up the tune, but the girl seemed to be making up lyrics on the spot. "まだ起きてる、ずっと見てる…" Her voice flowed out like honey, much different from the fluttery little thing she'd heard earlier, and with a distinct confidence and power. Of course she stumbled at a few parts, but she would catch herself soon after and join up with the music again. Unused to it but deciding to humor the other (and rather taken with her voice), she looped back to the beginning, and repeated a few parts after that.

Eventually, of course, Suou's voice faded away, too tired to sing anymore. Then they both hummed along, and she slowed the song's pace, softening it. Once again, she was under the song's spell, allowing her lips to curve up ever so slightly, but she felt a bit under Suou's as well. Just a bit. The girl was leaning into her a bit. Not enough to be distracting, but for the contact to be obvious, and sort of...warm. She finally brought the song to a roundabout end, and their voices drifted to silence. And for a while, they just sat there like that, as if basking in the warm energy left behind.

Suou yawned, then, and gave a great big smile. Looking down at the girl... Ah, was she asleep? She clung to her arm, as if nuzzling into it, eyes shut and lips pulled wide across. It was sort of uncomfortable, to be honest, but she'd feel bad waking her up. Except, perhaps she wasn't asleep just yet. "Kuro...? Thanks for playing for me. You're really good." She gave a slight chuckle in response.

Another rap at the door. It slid open again, but this time it was Asymmetry, dressed in her usual night clothes. She tip-toed closer, excusing herself and giving a smile. "I hope she wasn't any trouble..." she said, gesturing toward Suou, and Black Star shook her head. She adjusted her position, helping the other to lift the girl into her arms. With a gentle "thank you", she carried the sleeping blonde away, and shut the door behind her.

Which, of course, left her alone once again. Instead of reaching for her guitar, though, she grabbed a notebook from her sidetable and a black gel pen. Maybe it was time to write some lyrics.

She couldn't help the smile that rose on her lips, ever so slightly.


End file.
